The story “The Cat Who Went to Heaven” written by Elizabeth Coatsworth talks about the feelings of a poor artist toward his cat, and a painting that was going to be hung in the temple. In ancient Japan, the housekeeper of the poor artist had brought back a cat from the market. The artist was very angry because he did not have extra money to keep the cat. Also, cats were viewed as devils because of the disrespectful actions and rebellious attitude against the Buddha. Eventually the cat was kept as it was a three-colored cat which was considered to be very lucky. The artist then named the cat Good Fortune. Soon after, the artist noticed that Good Fortune was hungry and caught a small bird. Instead of eating the bird, Good Fortune gently released it. The unusually good behavior of the cat kept the artist wondering why. One day, the housekeeper rushed in and told the artist that he had been chosen to paint Buddha’s death. On the following days, the artist meditated about Buddha’s previous life. He painted all the animals that paid homage to him. The small cat was in grief because there was no representation for the cat. The cat in this religion was cursed and forbidden to be near the Buddha, as it relates with goblins and demons. However, due to the cat’s previous kindness toward the small bird triggered his compassion for the cat, the artist changed his mind to paint the cat, being aware that it may be rejected by the priests. The cat died of joy. The painting was then delivered to the temple, and the priests rejected it and decided to burn it. On the second morning, a miracle happened to the painting. The small white cat the artist had drawn was now in Buddha's hand, receiving the blessing from Buddha, who forgave the cat already.
The cat shows redemption when she changes from being disrespectful to the Buddha to saluting him, so she can go to heaven. Redemption is the action where one makes mistakes and recognizes what he does is wrong. He is willing to get improved and not make the mistake again. He sincerely changes to what he was supposed to do, being a good person or doing the right things. In other words, redemption makes people want to make themselves better. According to legend, the cat rebelled against the Buddha, was disrespectful to him, and didn’t listen to him. The cat was very obstinate. But as the story progressed, the artist noticed that the cat, Good Fortune, was actually praying to the Buddha. When Good Fortune caught a bird, she resisted her hunger and let the bird fly away. Also, Good Fortune ate less because she did not want to make a burden on her master. The artist was touched by the cat’s kindness and drew her on his Buddha painting. The most miraculous of all is that in the painting, which was hung in the temple, the Buddha extended his hand in a blessing, and a small white cat was bowed. The cat wants to go to heaven, so she redeems herself. In the beginning, the cat was very disrespectful to the buddha. There is an old saying in China describing redemption “Put down the butcher knife and become a Buddha”. It means if people could stop killing, then they would be as good as the buddha. The cat, Good Fortune, did stop being disrespectful and started saluting the Buddha. Unlike other cats, the cat behaved well by not making troubles or burdens on her poor master. The cat also showed virtues of self-control, sacrifice, and respect by not eating the bird and setting the bird free. The cat chose to stop her previous evil actions and she wanted to do the right things. The cat wanted to have her own redemption so she made the change. Because of her change, the cat was shown in the Buddha’s picture, which was a miracle since the cat was not allowed near the Buddha previously. Now the cat can go to heaven. Everyone could have his own redemption; People who do the bad things could achieve salvation and become a good person like the Buddha as soon as they give up evil.
The artist shows compassion and mercy towards the cat Good Fortune by drawing her on his Buddha painting, hoping to change other people’s views about the cat legend. Compassion means an ability to sympathize with what others are suffering, take actions to help them, and give them what they really need rather than what they want. True compassion does not expect or require feedback or reward from others. The artist was medicating Buddha’s previous life. When Buddha was an ape, he saved a man from a deep pit in the forest. The ape asked the man to watch him while he slept. After a while, the man wanted to kill the ape for the meat. The man failed and the action woke the ape. The ape was surprised and sad. But still, the ape led the man to the edge of the forest and bade him farewell. Originally, the artist was planning to get a big compensation from the priest once he finished the painting of Buddha. After meditating about the Buddha’s previous lives of ape, the artist began to realize the true meaning of compassion and mercy. The artist showed compassion to his cat because he recognized the cat’s feelings. The artist sympathized that the cat was very sad and in grief because there was no representative for the cat. In order to make her happy, the artist drew a cat on his painting of Buddha even though he was aware that it may be rejected by the priests. The artist even said that he could starve, but at least he wanted to make Good Fortune happy. He is willing to sacrifice his opportunity to make a fortune, to make a change on the reputation of cats. People with compassion and mercy will sympathize with those who are suffering, love them, forgive them, and give what they need even if such giving might cost some sacrifice, without asking for any repayment from them.
Buddha shows forgiveness toward the cat by giving her the blessing even though she was disrespectful to the Buddha previously. Forgiveness is generated when one makes a decision of letting go of anger, resentment, and thoughts of revenge. Forgiveness also includes that one offers something positive and develops compassion and understanding toward the others who have done harm to him. From the story of the woodpecker, which had the spirit of the Buddha, he saw a lion in great pain because a bone was stuck in the lion’s throat. The woodpecker helped the lion dislodge the bone. Another time, the lion caught a deer. The woodpecker was starving, but the lion did not share his food with him. A local Forest God saw both scenes and got angry. He wanted to punish the lion by plucking out the lion’s eyes, but the woodpecker said that he would not do such things. Previously, the Buddha did not bless the cat because the cat was disrespectful to the Buddha. The cat, therefore, did not go to heaven as a punishment for rebelling the Buddha. But the cat, Good Fortune, recognizes what she did before was evil and wrong. She wanted her own redemption and she was trying to correct her mistakes. The Buddha saw that and was willing to give the cat, Good Fortune, another chance. The Buddha changed the attitudes toward the cat and gave the cat the blessing and the cat bowed respectfully. The Buddha shows forgiveness toward the cat. People need to learn forgiveness to end the cycles of hatred, violence, or revenge. Without forgiveness people would be haunted by the past and still stay in the hurt and pain of the past. Giving forgiveness to someone who has done some harm is also giving him a change to develop his own redemption from his past.
The story, The Cat Who Went to Heaven, is an easy to read book, but it teaches the readers many valuable and meaningful lessons about life. The author tries to express three main ideas: redemption, compassion or mercy, and forgiveness. It is normal that people make mistakes, no matter small or big, like saying mean words or doing harmful things to others. One day, people start to realize their previous mistakes and want to correct them, hoping to repay others whom they have harmed. In this way, people are trying to earn redemption. On the other hand, from the victim’s point of view, it may be impossible or difficult to forgive the person at first. But if the victim doesn't forgive the person who has harmed them, he will live in grief for the rest of their lives and be trapped in the cycle of pain and hatred. This further extends the harm and sadness. As time progresses, it would be the best interest for the victim to forgive the person and release the feelings of resentment. According to Buddha’s philosophy, forgiveness is the practice of loving-kindness, which emphasizes the importance of compassion in establishing harmony in the world. When people are seeing others suffering, they develop sympathy for what others are experiencing and take action to give them what they need. They show their compassion from the bottom of their hearts without asking for payback even though that might cost some sacrifice.
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